Game of Thrones: Clive Russell on the Blackfish's Mission

Full spoilers for Game of Thrones through Sunday's episode, "The Broken Man," continue below.

The Blackfish is back on Game of Thrones!

After Sansa Stark heard that her great uncle Brynden Tully was rallying the Tully troops at Riverrun, fans have been hoping that Clive Russell's character would pop back up on Game of Thrones. That finally came to pass in "The Broken Man," the first appearance of the Blackfish since his well-timed bathroom break at the Red Wedding in Season 3.

I spoke with Russell about his return to Game of Thrones and what the Blackfish's motivations are after so much time has passed. He talks about his character's Red Wedding "survivor's guilt," as well as his big conflict over whether to support Sansa and the Starks.

Clive Russell as Brynden "Blackfish" Tully on Game of Thrones

IGN: Did you know from Season 3 that you were going to be brought back at some point, or was this something of a surprise to you?

Clive Russell: I'd hoped that he'd come back because he comes back in the books again. But they're not doing the books -- there is no book to do it from. I'd hoped that would happen. I don't think I was surprised it would happen because they bring back all kinds of people at all kinds of times. But it was good to go back there, I must say.

IGN: Have you been aware of how the Blackfish is such a big fan favorite and people have been excited for him to show up again on the series?

Russell: I kind of make the mistake when I got the part of looking on the net at what people were saying about it. It was very funny, because people were saying, "I know who could play it: Jeremy Irons!" "No, I know who could play it: David Bowie!" And it was basically [laughs], "Who the f--k is Clive Russell?" That was basically what was going on.

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Again I made the mistake. After a couple of episodes, there was a very strong element that were affronted by the way I depicted the Blackfish, that he was not the avuncular family man, but was being portrayed -- they felt -- wrongly as a knucklehead, which I think partly missed the point. It's very interesting how passionately people get involved. At that point I cut out of it, because there's very little point in getting involved in all of this, but people are perfectly entitled to all their views. But I am aware that, for people who know the books and for people who follow very closely, he was much anticipated.

IGN: Now that we are checking back in with him, do you think he's at a point where he will be loyal to Catelyn's remaining children, or is he at a point where he's on his own mission and protecting the Tully name right now?

Russell: I think the truth of it is he's fantastically conflicted about it. He obviously wants to defend his home, but he obviously feels a responsibility to what's left of the family. And that's definitely played out, that conflict within him.

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IGN: What are you most excited about in getting a chance to return to Game of Thrones?

Russell: The chance to, as it were, finish the story of Blackfish, or indicate where the Blackfish might go in the end. That's pretty satisfying, rather than the mystery of him going for a pee in the Red Wedding. We know what happened now. [laughs] "Excuse me, ladies and gentlemen, I'm just going to find a tree to pee on" is a funny line, but it's not the way you want to end your involvement in the series.

IGN: But also makes him the luckiest guy at the Red Wedding.

Russell: Well that's arguable, isn't it? One of the other elements is that sense of survivor's guilt, and I think Blackfish regretted running. He mentions, "I'm not going to run again." He's a soldier. Normally you stand and fight. Even though you look like you're going to die, you stand and fight, and he didn't. On the other hand, somebody had to survive. He had to go to survive to bring the family back into the center of things again, but I think there was an element of survivor's guilt with poor old Blackfish.

Game of Thrones airs Sundays at 9 p.m. ET/PT on HBO.

Terri Schwartz is Entertainment Editor at IGN. Talk to her on Twitter at @Terri_Schwartz.